Lap-joint-forming machine



Maire}; 1-0; 1931. A. B. JOHNSON 1,795,953

LAP JOINT FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb; 14. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 10, 1931. A. B; JOHNSON LAP JOINT FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 14. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FFLL March 10, 1931. a. JOHNSON LAP JOINT FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 14, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q! I .v NM-w I 2 MMW H MMWM I I I I I l l 1 N N QM k\ 0\ 0 mW N m M N MW, .Rl mN 0m March 10, 193i. T

A. B. JOHNSON 1, 5,953

LAP JOINT FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 14, 1930 4 Sizeets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 19, 1931 .eunir ARTHUR B. JOHNSON,

or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA- LAP-JOINT-FOR-MING acrame Application filed February 14, 1930; Serial No. 428,329. I

My present invention relates to an extremely simple and highly efficient machine for forming lap joints, commonly called shiplap joints, in boards such as lumber, composition board'or sheets of insulating material.

Generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter'described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views. 7 Referring to the drawings: I Fig. 1 is a .view'of the machine in side elevation, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectlon taken on theline 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 4-4: of Fig. 2;

Fig; 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; r

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3; I

Fig. 7 is a view in end elevation of two pieces of insulating board having lap oints formed therein, by the machine, and fitted together in jointedrelation; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentarydetail view sectionedon the line 8- 8 of Fig. 2.

' The frame of the machine is. made up of laterally spaced side members 8 that are connected by upper and lower cross-tie. mem bers 9. Mounted on the'upper cross-tie members'9 is a feed deck 10 comprising a"pluralit'y of laterally spaced, independent boards guiding supports or skids 11 of which there are in this machine three in number, each being independently movable transversely of the machine. over and engage the sides of longitudinal lip-like portions 9a of the upper frame cross members 9- and are thus held against endwise movement and said skids are held against upward movement, away from the frame cross members 9, by retaining members 12 that are removably secured to the skids 11 by bolts or the like 13, and whichretain- The skids'll depend slightly ing members12project under and engage or nearly engage the underside of the longitudinal lips 9a of the cross members 9.

Independent lateral adjustment of the skids 11 may be accomplished in any desired manner but it is here illustrated as being accomplished by means of racks and pinions presently to be described. Formed on or suitably secured to each of the upper frame cross members 9 is a transverse rack14 which, I it will be noted by reference to-Fig. 8, the skids are cut away'at 15-to receive.v The racks 14 are normally engaged by pinions 16 that are carried by longitudinally extended shafts 17, which shafts 17 are j'ournaled to one side of each skid 11 in bearing lugs 18 formed on or suitably secured to said skids, and the pinions are suitably secured on the shafts for turning movement there with. The shafts 17 are. angular at; their endsthatproject beyond. their respective skids for application of a suitable wrench or crank, and it will. be apparent that by turning the shafts 'theskids 11 may bemuspendently adjustably moved transversely of the machine to a desired position and. also, each end of each skid will-be caused to move the same distance and thus maintain positive longitudinal alignmentofthe skids.

Formed aspart of and depending from'the outside intermediate portion; of each of'the side skids 11 is a vertically disposed guide bracket'19 detaehably secured to the outer vertical edges of whichare guide members 20 which form opposed ways 21. Slidably mounted between the guides 20 for'truevertical movements in the ways 21 are motor mounting brackets 22 mounted on the-upper-. portion of each of'whi'ch is an electric motor 23. The motor mounting brackets 22 are adjustable vertically and are I normally held against vertical sliding movements by means of screw-threaded shanks 24; These shanks 24 near their upper portion have screwthreaded engagement withv outwardly projeeting lugs25 formed on the lower portions of the motor mounting brackets 22: and said" shanks 24, near their lower ends, are jour naled in fixed bearing lugs 26 formed on the. guide brackets 19. Carried by the lower end of each of the screw-threaded shanks 24 is an operating hand wheel 27, the hubs of which engage the lugs 26 to hold the shanks against upward sliding movements. The shanks 24 are held against downward movement by means of shoulders 28, formed there on, with the bearing lugs 26. Independent vertical adjustment of the motors may be readily and easily accomplished by independent manipulation of the hand wheels 27.

Mounted on the extended ends of the rotor shafts of the motors 23, which shafts are indicated by 236;, are combined saw and groove cutters 29. These combined saw and groove cutters each comprises a relatively large cir cle saw 30 adapted to project below the top of their cooperating skids and work in slot openings 11a therein and shear material passed thereby, and a plurality of somewhat smaller joint forming saws or groove cutters 31 on one side of the saw 30 that are normally set to guide only part way through the material and form a step out adjoining the outer edge of the material sheared by the shearing saw 30.

he sections 30 and 31 of the combined shearing saws and groove cutters are axially mounted on the motor shafts 23 and clamped tightly between flanges 33 formed on the shaft 23a and clamping collars slipped onto the outer edge portions of said shafts, by means of clamping nuts 35 that have screwthreaded engagement with the outer ends'of the motor shafts.

Depending from one side portion of the intermediate or central skid 11 and spaced apart longitudinally of the skids is a pair of opposed guide brackets 36. These uide brackets 36 are cast as part of the skids 11 and are tied together at their lower ends by abar 37 that is detachably secured to each thereof by means of bolts or the like 38. The opposed Vertical edges of each of the depending guide brackets 36 are provided with a vertical guide flange 39. These flanges 39 form the inner sides of ways 40 the outer sides of which ways are formed by guide members 41 that are detachably secured to the brackets 36 by bolts or the like 42. Extending between the guide brackets 36 and working slidably in the ways 40 is a motor formed at its upperside portions with upstanding arms 44 that work slidably in the ways 40 and hold said motor mounting bracket 43 against rocking movements. Carried by and detachably secured to this mounting bracket 43, by means of bolts or the like 45, is a motor 46. Mounted on the projecting end of the rotor shaft 47 of the motor 46 is a combined saw and groove cutter bined saw and groove cutter 48 is similar to the combined saw and groove cutters 29 but differs therefrom in that it has a plurality of jointor groove-forming saws or cutters, indicated by the numeral 49 on each side ofthe mounting bracket 43 that is 48. This commemes shearing circle saw, which saw is indicated by the numeral 50. The sections 49 and 50 of the combined shearing saw and groove cutter 48 are axially secured on the motor shaft 47 for movements therewith by means of a clamping flange 51, a clamping collar 52, and a clamping nut 53.

The combined saw and groove cutter 48 works through the slot opening 54 in the intermediate skid 11 and extends above the top of the skid so that the shearing saw 50 will extend above material moved past the saw and cut the same in two, and the groove cutters 49 on opposite sides of the saw 50 will extend into and cut a groove or step out in the edges of the materialeither side of said saw.

The mechanism, for-feeding material laid upon the projecting ends of the skids 11 of the feed table 10, includes laterally spaced feed chains 55 that run over sprockets 56 at the in-feed end of the machine and sprockets 57 at the out-feed end portion of the machine, and which chains are provided with transversely aligned feed lugs 58. There is one feed chain provided for each of the side skids 11 that runs inside of the combined saw and groove cutters 29 and there are two feed chains provided for the intermediate skid 1 1, one running on either side of the combined saw and groove cutters 48. over which a feed chain runs at the in-feed end of the machine, are journaled between opposite side portions of the skids on a Stub shaft 59 carried by the skids, and said sprockets work through openings 60 in the upper in-feed end portions of said skids. 'The sprockets 57, over which feed chains run at the out-feed end of the machine, are all carried by and driven by a shaft 61 that is journaled near its opposite ends in the frame side members 8, and which shaft 61 extends through depending bearing flanges 62 that are formed as part of the skids 11, one near each side thereof. The sprockets 57 are mounted between these bearing flanges 62 and are thereby held against transverse movements in respect to the skids. These bearing flanges 62 of the skids 11 and thesprockets 57 are slidable on the shaft 61, but said sprockets 57 are driven in common with the shaft 61 by engagement of keys carried by the sprockets 57 with a longitudinal key-way 63 in the shaft 61.

The upper portion of the sprockets 57 work 'through openings 65 in the upper face of the skids near the out-feed ends It will, however, be noted that neither the sprockets 56 or 57 project above or in fact quite to the top of the skids and upper portion of the feed chains 55, between the sprockets 56 and 57, work in longitudinal grooves 66 in the upper face of the skids with only their 7 feed lugs 58 skids. V

The driven shaft 61 may be driven in any suitable manner, but, as-shown, is driven from projecting above the top of said The sprockets 56, l

of the machine.

an electric motor 67 suitably mounted on the lower portion of the frame between the side members 8, a drive pulley 68 on the motor shaft, a belt 69, a pulley 70 mounted on and driven by a shaft 71 that is journaled near its opposite ends in the frame cross members 8, a pulley 72 mounted on said shaft 71 for movements therewith, a belt 73, a large speed reduction pulley 74-. mounted on and having driving engagement with a shaft 75 that is journaled at its opposite end portions in the frame side members 8, a small sprocket 76 mounted on and driven by the shaft 75, a chain 77, and a large speed reduction sprocket 78 mounted on the outer end of the shaft 61.

The motor mounting bracket 43 is normally held positioned against vertical sliding movements and also is adjustable vertically by means of a screw-threaded stem 79 which extends into a hole 80 in the motor mounting bracket 43, and has screw-threaded engagement therewith, a pair of miter gears 81, one of which is carried by the lower end of said screw-threaded stem for turning movements therewith and the other of which carried by an operating shaft 82 that is journaled near its inner end in bearing lugs 8.3 that are cast as partof and depend from the tie bar 37. This second noted miter gear 81 is suitably secured on the end of the operating shaft 82 for turning movements therewith and is held against endwise movements by means of a collar 84 secured on the shaft 82 between the bearing lugs or the flanges 83.

The outer end portion of the shaft 82 is journaled near a long supporting arm 85 that is secured to and depends from the upper frame cross member 9 at the out-feed end of the machine. The out-feed end of. the machine, it would be well to note, is the lefthand end of the machine in respect to 1, 2 and 3 and in-feed end of the machine the right-hand end of the machine in respect to said figures.

The lower end portion of the screw-threaded stem 79 is journaled in the cross bar 37 and is held against vertical movements by engagement of the hub of the miter gear 81 that is carried thereby with the underside of said bar 37 and engaged with a collar 86 that is secured on the stem 79 by means of a pin or the like 87 with the top of said bar 37. The outer end of the shaft 82 is provided with a hand-wheel 88, by manipulation of which the motor mounting bracket 13, motor 46 and combined saw and groove cutter 48 may be screwed vertically up and down to properly position the said combined saw and groove cutters.

It would now be well to note that each skid, its feed chain or chains and the motor and combined saw and groove cutter carried thereby is movable as a unit transversely of the machine, independent of either of the other groups, and also that each'motor and saw is independently adjustable verticall'y. It will now be seenthat when a sheet of material Y is laid upon the projected ends of the skids at the in-feedend of the machine with its rear end slightly forward of the axis of the sprockets 56, it will, when he feed chains are thrown into action, be engaged at its rear end by the several feed lugs 58 and pushed past the combined saw and groove cutters to the out-feed end of the machine and upon passing the combined saw and groove cutters 29 and 4:8 willhave its edges sheared or trimmed off, a step out formed in the upper face of each side thereof'adjacent the edge sheared by saws 30,

sheared or split in two at its intermediate portion by the shearing saw 50 of the combined saw and groove cutter 48, and a step out formed in the underside of the material adjacent either side of the line of cut of the shearing saw 49 on the underside of the material. v

It will be apparent that even after the material has been cut in two, each side thereof will be moved straight forward as each side is engaged by a feed lug 58 near either side thereof.

The'two halves, which each have a step out at the upper portion of one edge and at the lower portion of its other edge may be jointed together by turning one of said pieces around and fitting the step out formed in the top of one side thereof, by a groove cutter 31, with the step out formed in the underedge of the other piece by the intermediate groove cutter 50, as shown in Fig. 7. Itwill be noted, however, by reference to Fig. 7 that .the step out formed by the outer groove cutters 31 is wider than those formed by the intermediate groove cutters so that when the pieces are ointed togetherithere willbe a slight space, between the tongue of one piece and the heel of the cut in the adjoining piece and by so doing an extremely snug fit can be maintained throughout one half of the joint.

To hold material down firmly on the skids 11, while passing the saws, I provide U- shaped hold down straps 88" that are adjustably, slidably mounted for vertical movements in slides 89, which slides are mounted for transverse sliding movements on transverse slide rods 90 that are carried by. brackets 91 extending upward from the side members 8. The slides 89 are normally held against accidental sliding movements by setscrews 92 and the hold down straps 88 are held against accidental vertical sliding movements in said slides by means of set-screws What I claim is:

1. In a lap joint cuttingmachine, means for feeding a board to be cut and grooved, a combined saw and groove cutter arranged to split the board and cut a groove in the same on both sides of the saw to form a lap on each side of the split, in combination with combined saws and groove cutters arranged one on each side of the first noted combined saw and groove cutter and operative on the opposite face of the board whereby reversed lap joints are formed in the opposite edges of the split boards.

2. In a lap joint cutting machine, a supporting frame, intermediate and outside board-guiding supports independently adjustable transversely of the machine, motors movable transversely with the several board guides, combined saws and groove cutters independently operated by the several motors, the intermediate and outside combined saws and groove cutters being arranged to cut from opposite sides of the boards and said intermediate saw and groove cutter being arranged to cut a groove on both sides of the saw whereby boards of varying width with reverse lap Joints may be simultaneously formed.

3. In a lap joint cutting machine, a supporting frame, intermediate and outside board-guiding supports independently adjustable transversely of the machine, motors movable transversely with the several board guides, combined saws and groove cutters independently operated by the several motors, the intermediate and outside combined saws and groove cutters being arranged to cut from opposite, sides of the boards and said intermediate saw and groove cutter being arranged to cut a groove on both sides of the saw whereby boards of varying width with reverse lap joints may be simultaneously formed, and means for independently adj usting the said motors and their respective combined saws and groove cutters toward and from the opposite faces of the board.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ARTHUR B. JOHNSON. 

